The northern part of the island kingdom of Belaria comprises the Tropagian forest. The darkest realm; and a Belarian's easy nightmare. Besides thriving with unfathomable and ever bloodthirsty creatures, it also is the stronghold of witch, Mai Canniola, the vilest witch ever. And when she throws her intricate plot upon Charles, a young boy of 15 residing in the Belarian village of Tempster with his aunt and cousin, will he be able to wriggle himself free from her treacherous web? And will the only good folks dwelling in Tropagia, the Macacawks and the Potion Makers, help him? Or will they instead turn against him and make it all worser? It is not going to be long before Charles quiet life is totally disrupted and upturned...
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Albert had found the dead cockroach stuck between some big rocks
on the river bank. The most peculiar insect he had ever seen, it
was also probably the largest one that existed. More than half a
metre in breadth only, its length was almost two metres.

A new species of course, what should he name it...?

He wondered vaguely for some time. What could be an appropriate
name for the giant cockroach? ...

'Ah, Bennetrium!' he decided finally,, after his surname
"Bennet".'Yes. that would be nice', he thought, somehow feeling
good about it,'...Bennetrium... the largest cockroach ever!'

Coming to Tropagia hadn't been all a waste, after all, he had
discovered innumerable numbers of new plant and animal species,
more than half of which he had named after His Majesty, a
quantity after himself, many after family members, and a good
deal still after his more efficient of men. Moreover, he
considered hid greatest achievement of all as succeeding to
pierce the countless superstitions people held concerning
Tropagia, and the talks of such and such outwardly
'"supernatural" beings lurking in the forest.

Yes, there were beings in the Tropagian forest, not though of the
nonsensical kind people nightmared, but rather exotic, much as
the cockroach that lay in front of him.

However, Albert's success did have a downside as well -- The
expedition would not be able to reach the sea on the northern
shore of Belaria, as the plans were, also an estimate of the area
over which Tropagia was spread could not be taken. This was
because Albert had simply collected too many specimens of the
flora and fauna already to keep on continuing, and thus in two
days' time they were scheduled to begin their return journey to
the capital.

Still as far as his calculations went, the expedition party had
penetrated around 63-68 kilometres into Tropagia, not considering
the various loops the river Gordan had taken, which they had been
utilising both as a water source and as a guide into the forest
since the start.

'Sire, Sire!' said a rather frantic Ashgad, one of Albert's men,
as he rushed into the tent, 'I-I think you should come see this
Sire!'

'Ashgad-?' Albert was greatly surprised, when Ashgad caught him
by the arm and pulled him out of the tent, outside.

'You have to see this, Sire!'

Ashgad pointed at the opposite bank on the other side of the
river. Looking at the place, the ground might have verily
disappeared from beneath Albert's feet.

'The Gods protect us', he muttered barely audible.

There were about a dozen of them, Men half, Bugs half. It was a
paralysing sight. Men till their waists, they were bugs from
below having six hairy stick like legs. They were looking at the
expedition party, observant, just as the men were looking at
them, fear stricken. One thing was set clear... The Devil's
children did dwell Tropagia.

Albert shook his head in disbelief, appalled at the scene before
him. He had been wrong in his perception of Tropagia. The
superstitions of the people had been but true.

'The men are ready Sire', said Ashgad, 'Should we open fire?' And
so were they. All of Albert's men had armed themselves with
rifles, muskets and pistols. But Albert declined.

'No, it's too risky; we'd be foolish to fire without knowing what
strengths they posses'.

'But what should we do, then-?'

Bam!!!

Someone suddenly fired, fear overtaken. The bullet hit the thick
armour ofone of the mutants and bounced off harmlessly. It was
enough to unleash the mutants into action. And with a thundering
roar they charged, the shallow river in between little of an
obstacle for them.

Before he knew it, Albert was running way from the river bank
towards the lush density of plants as everybody else was,
fiercely yelling a single word - 'Flee!'

Even as they fled, some of Albert's men fired aimless shots at
the mutants. This, however, was no hindrance, and by the time a
handful of seconds had passed, the mutants reached this side of
the river.

Albert ran madly, uncaring of the direction as long it took him
away from the half men half bugs, amidst the thickness of
vegetation around him. He could hear pained screams of his men
from behind- the mutants had got them. Poor fellows, he thought,
but what could he do besides try and somehow save his own soul?
So Albert kept running.

After sometime of adrenaline filled run, Albert slowed down his
pace and looked behind- Only plants. He ran some more, 'The
farther the better.'

Albert finally came to a stop and crouched behind a tree, gasping
for breath, heart drumming and body hot. After inhaling furiously
for a couple of minutes, his body began to cool down and his
breathe returned.

Albert considered his surroundings more sensibly. Where was he?

He had definitely come a long way away from the river bank, for
the cries and howls of his men and the mutants had faded into an
undisturbed quiet.

Now trees, bushes and other plants surrounded him on all sides,
as though encaging him. He felt claustrophobic, despite all his
love for nature.

More moments throbbed by, and slowly fear returned to Albert as
stark realisation overtook him. He could not get to the river,
his only chance of any survival at all.

He might have escaped the demons, temporarily most perhaps, but
now, Albert Bennet was lost in the Tropagian forest.